Anti-gun protesters march on NRA

A group of 75 gun-control activists marched on the NRA’s Washington, D.C., headquarters on Monday, denouncing the organization with chants of “Shame on the NRA!” and deeming it responsible for the thousands of Americans who die each year as a result of gun violence.

“More than anyone else, the NRA is responsible for the more than 12,000 people murdered by guns every year in this country,” said Josh Nelson, campaign manager for the progressive CREDO Action group that organized the protest, adding: “We call on the NRA’s lobbyists to stand down and allow Congress to pass common-sense gun laws.”

Text Size

-

+

reset

One protester held a sign reading “SHUT DOWN TERRORIST-ENABLING NRA. FREEZE ASSETS” on one side, and “KILL THE 2ND AMENDMENT. NOT CHILDREN” on the other. The group repeatedly chanted “Shame on the NRA!”

But long-time activists among the group — which skewed older and white — said they were also filled with optimism about the chances of movement on gun control. In a speech Sunday night, President Barack Obama said the country was not doing enough to protect its children. On Monday morning, NRA-backed Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) called for action on gun control.

Martina Leinz, the president of the Northern Virginia chapter of the Million Mom March, was blunt when asked why gun control’s time had arrived.

“Now is the moment,” said Leinz, who has been working for gun control since the first Million Mom March 12 years ago. “Obama has the political will now, and the country is united behind him to stop the carnage.”

Eddie Weingart, a 34-year-old man who held a simple sign reading “I AM A VICTIM OF GUN VIOLENCE,” said he had been attending pro-gun control protests since he was 14. Weingart’s mother was killed by her ex-husband when he was only two years old. Weingart said the man turned the gun on him, but it malfunctioned, saving his life.

While he has seen the movement’s ranks grow after each previous mass shooting — Columbine, Virginia Tech, Tucson, Ariz., and Aurora, Colo. — he said he was more confident in action now than ever before.

“It’s raised my optimism,” Weingart said of the response. “I really believe that this is going to be addressed.”

“As long as the NRA is going to keep going the way they are — in silence and denial — we’re going to keep seeing this,” Weingart added.

The group marched the short distance from Spirit of Justice Park near the Capitol to the NRA’s federal lobbying headquarters on 1st Street SE.

There were no counterprotesters, except for a single man who repeatedly yelled “Arm The Teachers” out a nearby window before coming outside and bellowing the same slogan. (The NRA has kept silent since the massacre, shutting down its Facebook page and avoiding Twitter.)

“The truth is that if there was one teacher or principal armed, they could’ve end the violence with one shot,” said Larry Ward, the president of Political Media, a GOP advertising firm with offices on the same block as the protest.

While organizers managed to keep most of the protesters away from Ward, they couldn’t stand in the way of the media, which rushed over to cover the lone gun-rights supporter.

“Folks, what we’re here for is over here,” march organizer Andrew Nazdin said to reporters, pointing back to the mass of protesters.

What is it with these left-wing, Occupy, blue state whackos? Connecticut? Virginia? Colorado? As if they can't kill enough babies by shoving an egg beater through the top of their heads and turning their little brains to mush, now they seem bent on going after the abortion survivors. Check the dumpsters behind Planned Parenthood in Newton for the bodies of more little victims.

Josh Nelson said “More than anyone else, the NRA is responsible for the more than 12,000 people murdered by guns every year in this country”.

You got to be kidding me. Surely the violent films coming out of Hollywood along with all the video games which promote pointless killing have much more to do with this than law abiding members of the NRA ever have.

12,000 murders is awful, but if your going to trot out that statistic, perhaps you should consider that the most dangerous place in America to live is inside the womb, where over 1 million children are murdered every year. Why do these left-wing groups always want to shut down the NRA and gun owners everytime a lawbreaking nutjob commits a crime, but they never say a word about the kids being murdered (aborted) by their moms, based on convenience.

Maybe you should also consider the dramatic increase in crime and murder in Australia since the siezure of privately owned guns. Look to Swizterland, where gun ownership per capita is extremely high and violent crime is very low. How about Kennesaw, GA, where it is mandatory that the head of each household be able to maintain a gun; their crime rate is just about nil.

Texas is considering letting their teachers be armed. Could you imagine if every school proclaimed their staff was all armed and well trained. How often do you think these senseless crimes would occur?

Josh Nelson said “More than anyone else, the NRA is responsible for the more than 12,000 people murdered by guns every year in this country”.

You got to be kidding me. Surely the violent films coming out of Hollywood along with all the video games which promote pointless killing have much more to do with this than law abiding members of the NRA ever have.

12,000 murders is awful, but if your going to trot out that statistic, perhaps you should consider that the most dangerous place in America to live is inside the womb, where over 1 million children are murdered every year. Why do these left-wing groups always want to shut down the NRA and gun owners every time a law-breaking nut-job commits a crime, but they never say a word about the kids being murdered (aborted) by their moms, based on convenience.

Maybe you should also consider the dramatic increase in crime and murder in Australia since the siezure of privately owned guns. Look to Switzerland, where gun ownership per capita is extremely high and violent crime is very low. How about Kennesaw, GA, where it is mandatory that the head of each household be able to maintain a gun; their crime rate is just about nil.

Texas is considering letting their teachers be armed. Could you imagine if every school proclaimed their staff was all armed and well trained. How often do you think these senseless crimes would occur?

Josh Nelson said “More than anyone else, the NRA is responsible for the more than 12,000 people murdered by guns every year in this country”.

You got to be kidding me. Surely the violent films coming out of Hollywood along with all the video games which promote pointless killing have much more to do with this than law abiding members of the NRA ever have.

12,000 murders is awful, but if your going to trot out that statistic, perhaps you should consider that the most dangerous place in America to live is inside the womb, where over 1 million children are murdered every year. Why do these left-wing groups always want to shut down the NRA and gun owners every time a law-breaking nut-job commits a crime, but they never say a word about the kids being murdered (aborted) by their moms, based on convenience.

Maybe you should also consider the dramatic increase in crime and murder in Australia since the siezure of privately owned guns. Look to Switzerland, where gun ownership per capita is extremely high and violent crime is very low. How about Kennesaw, GA, where it is mandatory that the head of each household be able to maintain a gun; their crime rate is just about nil.

Texas is considering letting their teachers be armed. Could you imagine if every school proclaimed their staff was all armed and well trained. How often do you think these senseless crimes would occur?

As someone who grew up hunting with shotguns I always chaffed at the "2nd amendment" crowd. They are ALWAYS compensating for something. My father owned guns but never thought they were something to show off or boast about. These people want the "image" but have no respect for what guns really do and they talk tough because they are living out some Hollywood movie come to life in their mind. Most of them are simple-minded and harmless, but the effect: wide-spread availability of high-capacity weaponry, is plain enough to see. A semi-auto handgun with 8 rounds is more than enough for self defense. Anyone who says otherwise is a liar and/or doesn't know anything about self defense. People aren't allowed to own hellfire missiles and they surely shouldn't be able to load up on man-killing ammunition and weaponry either. The NRA and their ilk have held this country hostage long enough, and I'm sad to say it's because gun owners like myself haven't bothered to stand up to them.

Enough is enough. Those who take irresponsible positions on gun control need to be shamed and called out on their reckless position. This mindless nonsense needs to stop and it's responsible gun owners that should be leading the charge, not dragged kicking and screaming.

As someone who grew up hunting with shotguns I always chaffed at the "2nd amendment" crowd. They are ALWAYS compensating for something. My father owned guns but never thought they were something to show off or boast about. These people want the "image" but have no respect for what guns really do and they talk tough because they are living out some Hollywood movie come to life in their mind. Most of them are simple-minded and harmless, but the effect: wide-spread availability of high-capacity weaponry, is plain enough to see. A semi-auto handgun with 8 rounds is more than enough for self defense. Anyone who says otherwise is a liar and/or doesn't know anything about self defense. People aren't allowed to own hellfire missiles and they surely shouldn't be able to load up on man-killing ammunition and weaponry either. The NRA and their ilk have held this country hostage long enough, and I'm sad to say it's because gun owners like myself haven't bothered to stand up to them.

Enough is enough. Those who take irresponsible positions on gun control need to be shamed and called out on their reckless position. This mindless nonsense needs to stop and it's responsible gun owners that should be leading the charge, not dragged kicking and screaming.

As someone who grew up hunting with shotguns I always chaffed at the "2nd amendment" crowd. They are ALWAYS compensating for something. My father owned guns but never thought they were something to show off or boast about. These people want the "image" but have no respect for what guns really do and they talk tough because they are living out some Hollywood movie come to life in their mind. Most of them are simple-minded and harmless, but the effect: wide-spread availability of high-capacity weaponry, is plain enough to see. A semi-auto handgun with 8 rounds is more than enough for self defense. Anyone who says otherwise is a liar and/or doesn't know anything about self defense. People aren't allowed to own hellfire missiles and they surely shouldn't be able to load up on man-killing ammunition and weaponry either. The NRA and their ilk have held this country hostage long enough, and I'm sad to say it's because gun owners like myself haven't bothered to stand up to them.

Enough is enough. Those who take irresponsible positions on gun control need to be shamed and called out on their reckless position. This mindless nonsense needs to stop and it's responsible gun owners that should be leading the charge, not dragged kicking and screaming.

Yawn...........wonder how many in this crowd went to a local bar afer their little rant, got all liquored up then got behind the wheel of their vehicle and drove off ? Most likely half of them puffing on a joint to boot !

Yawn...........wonder how many in this crowd went to a local bar afer their little rant, got all liquored up then got behind the wheel of their vehicle and drove off ? Most likely half of them puffing on a joint to boot !

America is on the verge of losing all individual freedoms and disarming the populace is a major step in that direction. We tolerate thousands of deaths every year at the hands of the alcohol industry and we kill our children with alcohol every day but where is the outcry???? A dead child from a brain adled alcohol user is OK as long as he or she wasn't carrying a firearm when they killed the child. The absurdity of the arguments in this country for gun control when alcohol is glorified is ridiculous. Our children deserve better from us.

Forget about guns, let 's go after the real killers. Off to Detroit! March on the Big Three Automakers! Protest the Autoworkers Union for its participation in the wanton killing of thousands of innocent Americans of every age, race, gender and religious affiliation. Stop the production of overpowered Automobiles! Restrict the right to drive! Limit automobile ownership! Rise Up America! Stop the Slaughter! More people are killed and/or grievously injured each year by unlawfully operated automobiles than by all of the guns used by all Americans anywhere in the World including guns lawfully fired by members of law enforcement and/or the US Military. Why think small? If you are really interested in saving the lives of young children, restrict the making and importation of high powered automobiles. Require that automobiles be equipped with all available internal and external safety devices. Restrict the right to drive to those over 21 and under75 who are able to pass a mental health and criminal record screening, in addition to a mandatory annual driving skills test. This need to restrict guns, like the need to limit the freedom to smoke, purchase overd beverages, control the content on TV or in the Public libraries, or any of the other "nanny state" propositions feeds some, I suggest unhealthy, need on the part of some Americans to insert themselves into the private behavioral choices of others. Get a life people! You really wish to solve the gun problem, Make gun safety training mandatory, tax gun ownership, incarcerate anyone convicted of using a gun for an unlawful purpose, without exception, and allow private citizens the right to carry concealed firearms subject to reasonable restrictions as to time and place.

This is a dishonest debate! No member of the NRA is responsible for this tragic event! People act as if human nature will change if we keep the availability of legal weapons to the majority of law abiding citizens! Both the media and liberals are on a wrong headed policy path by reacting irrationally and inflamed passions! This is folly!